Leroy Jones Jr. of East Orange has been selected by members of the Essex County Democratic Committee to serve as their chair.

Jones succeeds the late Phil Thigpen of Montclair, who died last month at the age of 87.

Jones is a former member of the state Assembly and Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. He also worked as city administrator of East Orange.

Most recently, Jones has served as chairman of the East Orange Democratic Municipal Committee, trustee of the Essex County Democratic Committee and a commissioner of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

Jones was selected during a program on Saturday that was attended by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, state legislators and roughly 700 county Democrats, according to Montclair Democratic Committee Chair Brendan Gill.

"It was a bittersweet experience," Jones said of the selection when speaking with The Times this past Tuesday. "Phil Thigpen was a friend, mentor and father figure to me. His passing deeply disturbed me and others ... The other side of that is I was, obviously, selected to continue his work in the party."

Jones described Thigpen as a "gentleman's gentleman" and said that he was flattered by comparisons between him and his mentor, saying that he has modeled himself after Thigpen.

The new chair identified transparency, inclusion, and outreach as objectives he hopes to bring to the county committee. Jones also said that he hopes to spark the energies of younger members of the party.

Gill, who also considered Thigpen a friend, identified youth outreach and mentorship as among Jones's strengths.

Montclair's Democratic Party chair told The Times that Jones has a reputation as a consensus builder and someone who will be inclusive as county chair. As a successful municipal chair, Jones possesses a strong understanding of the county's Democratic landscape, Gill noted.

District 34 Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, who has served as chair for both the Essex County and state Democratic organizations, said that the position comes with responsibilities that include fundraising, connecting with individuals and groups, and identifying viable candidates who possess leadership skills.

Giblin, a Montclair resident, said that he felt comfortable with Jones taking on the mantle, saying he's done an "exemplary" job in all of his previous positions, including freeholder and party chair in East Orange.

"Frankly, I think if [Phil] Thigpen was still alive, he'd want to see Leroy succeed him," Giblin said. "I think they were that close in terms of the Democratic Party ... He, in a lot of ways, was his protégé."